Pros

Pro

Allows sharing photos, videos and texts that self-destruct

All Snapchat communications disappear after they've been viewed. It creates more interesting conversation when you don't have to worry about consequences as much. Additionally you can doodle on photos.

Pro

Includes news

Snapchat includes a Discover page (accessed by two swipes from the right side) where curated list of news and entertainment outlets can put up news from their sites.

Pro

Does not get in the way of what it's designed to do

Snapchat is first and foremost a way to share photos so the first thing that the app presents the user with is the camera enabled and ready to take photos. Once photos or videos are taken, it's possible to caption them or draw on them.

Pro

Web and mobile (iOS, Android) versions available

Pro

Supports text, voice, video

Integrates with Jitsi for multi-party video chats

Pro

Uses Matrix, the open communications protocol

Pro

Very good and simple interface

Riot has a very simple interface, adding the ability for more unexperienced PC-Users to use it.

Pro

Widgets support

Want to watch that flick at YouTube and discuss it at the same time? Have Grafana graphs stacked above your DevOps team chat? Collaboratively edit Google Docs and chat over without switching applications? This is possible with Riot.

Pro

Bridges to other networks

You're not confined within Riot's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.

Cons

Con

Security concerns

In 2013, Snapchat was hacked. As a result phone numbers and usernames of 4.6 million users were published online. That happened after concerns were raised by a security firm weeks before that Snapchat dismissed. Other security concerns were pointed out to Snapchat throughout 2014 including ways that the service could be used for DDOS attacks and how their anti-robot measures can be circumvented.

Snapchat has since implemented two-factor authentication.

Con

Non-intuitive UI

The UI space is well used but you'll likely miss a few messages until you understand of the UI works; it's not like the average mobile apps.

Con

Still in active yet early development

There is clearly a User Experience issue esp. in web version which the developers are aware of and are working hard to improve. They've got the concept concrete, so UX won't be an issue in no time. Most often used parts are functional, but some are yet not.The success of riot depends on how fast the development is, or it'll get outdated too quickly as developers of Signal and Telegram have predicted.

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